How To Summon
*This Is a Work in progress* Summoning in a nutshell Summoning is the school of magic in which the caster summons creatures to aid them in both combat and utility situations. This form of magic can be rather risky if the summoner is not careful through the nature of the summons. The summoned creatures are living beings simply called to you, making them easier to sustain but need constant control. This is done through mana use, and if the caster runs out of mana before desummoning the creatures they have a chance to turn on the summoner. There are some exceptions to this, as there are some creatures created instead of called. In order for a person to summon they require the skill and appropriate kits to do so. There are limits on the number of summons and the power of those summons the caster is able to have at once. Types of Summons There are three main types of summons with a few subclasses. These three main summons are: Solo Summons Combo Summons Augment Summons Solo Summons are the most basic summons, requiring only skill in summoning to use. These are generally well rounded creatures but have no real specialization. This means they are often effective against everything but are not overly powerful against enemies. These also cost less mana compared to others and need less kits. Combo Summons are the second type of summon, requiring both summoning skill and either another magic skill or a magical kit. These creatures often specialize in varying areas based on the skill used to summon them. Elemental magic used with summoning results in the summoning of elemental creatures, able to summon different element typed creatures to exploit weaknesses. Illusion magic with summoning often results in creatures that cause hallucinations and make the summoner that much harder to combat. These thrive in stealth situations and places where evasion is necessary. Combo summons are much more versatile but are more costly and occasionally need more kits. Augment Summons are the third type of summon. These summons are creatures or even replica artifacts that augment and strengthen allies or weaken and hinder enemies. These summons can require only summoning or a mixture of skills, making them just as versatile as combo summons although more costly to preform. Examples of these summons are flaming armor for a summon or a sword imbued with holy light for an ally. These cost mana to sustain and may cost extra mana when used. Summoning Limits All summoning has limits on what is able to be summoned and when. Any summoner can have a max of 2 non familiar summons at any time. A summoner can have up to 3 max unless otherwise stated due to an effect. The three is a familiar and 2 other summons. The 2 other summons are limited on a system of tiers and sizes. Your summoning tier revolves around your skill level. above 0 skill is Tier 1 above 25 is 2 50+ is 3 75+ is 4 100 skill is tier 5 These tiers limit the maximum size of creatures you can summon. Each tier increases the max size of summons you can have. The 5 sizes are Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, and Huge. 2 of the one before makes the next size up so 2 tiny is one small, 2 small one medium and so on and so forth. At Tier 1 a played can have 1 small size total. At Tier 2 they can have 1 medium summoned. At tier 3 they can have one large. Tier four one huge, and Tier 5 two huge. This means at max skill and high level a player can have 3 huge summons at once, although, generally the larger a creature is the more mana it will cost. This system is to prevent spamming of low level creatures to simply swarm an enemy before they can act. Kits Summoning creatures requires items known as kits. These kits are required for every summon. There are 3 kinds of kits. Summoning kits are the first kind, needed for every summon no matter what. These kits are reusable and often costly, although only need to be bought once. The second type is a secondary kit. These are single use kits meant for certain summons and can be used for many things. One such use of a secondary kit is to act as a substitute for having no skill in certain magic. For example if someone wanted to summon an elemental but had no elemental skill they could use the elemental kit of the corresponding level instead. The third kinds of kits are effect kits. These kits are usually single use and are very expensive. These kits include familiar kits and resurrection kits. These kits often have compounding costs to use in summons, such as the resurrection kit, or yield items after use, such as the familiar kit. These will be further explained later. Controlling summons*** Controlling summons is a very important part of summoning. When you summon most creatures you simply call them to you and lead them with mana. For example, summoning a dire wolf literally calls the wolf to you from another place and you bind it to your will with a constant mana feed. If the summoner runs out of mana for sustaining that stream (the sustain cost of the summon) before it is de summoned it will stay there and no longer be controlled. When this happens the creature has a chance to turn on the summoner, flee, keep fighting, or anything else it wants to do. You no longer have means of controlling it. This will have no effect on certain summons if they are only able to stay through the mana or if they are only formed through the mana. This usually includes elementals and spiritual creatures. For example if a summoner creates a golem to work for them and runs out of mana it would simply fall apart instead of continue on its own. Familiars Familiars are those strange exceptions to just about every rule so far. A familiar is a summon specifically bound to you, not being controlled by the caster but instead the creature willingly works with it. This creature is the summoners partner in short terms. This creature has many exceptions with it compared to common summons. When a summoner has a familiar they are either free summons they can use no matter what, calling them through the bond instead of usual methods or constantly present with the summoner. Except for some, most familiars have no cost to summon or control, making them constant free allies. They also will not turn on the summoner, no matter their mana levels. To get a familiar the caster must pay the familiar cost in place of the summoning cost when summoned. For example the dire wolf usually costs only 75 mana and a basic kit but to make it your familiar you need 125 mana and a familiar kit as well as a basic summoner kit. When a familiar kit is used it is destroyed and leaves behind a token of sorts, the key to the bond. This key is different every time and is easy to find by either familiar or summoner. It constantly lets the familiar and caster know the general location of each within a decent distance. To break the bond with a familiar the key must be broken by the summoner. Anyone else breaking it will not break the bond and it will reform later in the summoners possession. Familiars also level up and strengthen as players do. As a summon is made your familiar it has a base level. The familiar then becomes the same level as the summoner (IF it is higher then the familiars) and gains level tokens to increase its skill and stats based on the summon itself. For example, a Dire Wolf has a familiar base level of 3. If the summoner is lvl 4 when the wolf is made a familiar it then becomes level 4 as well, leveling up. It then gains the ability to increase its skills like a player with the given number of level up tokens. (See Leveling Up) Every time the player levels up since the familiar does too, making it an ally that scales in power as you do. When a creature becomes a familiar it also gains powers normal summons can not use, making them more useful then normal summons. for example on familiar the Dire wolf gains the light armor skill, the ability to use light armor, and the ability to equip a pack and carry gear. Only certain creatures can become familiars and it will be made known on the creatures summon page if it is able to. If a familiar dies in combat there are multiple options to take from there. The first option is to break the bond and need a new famliar. If this happens the body destroys itself a short time later. You can retrieve gear it is carrying if any but can not use the body for anything. The second option is to resurrect the familiar. Each will have a differing cost but it will generally follow the same formula. Summoning mana cost X (Number of deaths + 1) + a resurrection kit of the needed tier. So for example, when a dire wolf familiar dies for the first time, resurrection costs 125 mana (75x2) and a basic resurection kit. The more a familiar dies the more costly it will be to revive it from it's death.